Adjustable roof mounting means for top charged electric furnaces



June 14, 1949. w, MOORE 2,472,954

ADJUSTABLE ROOF MOUNTING MEANS FOR TOP CHARGED ELECTRIC FURNACES FiledMay 12, 1944 2 Sheets-Sheet '1 INVENTOR William E.Mo0re 7 June 14, 1949.

Filed May 12, 1944 W. E. MOO

ADJUSTABLE ROOF MOUNTING MEANS FOR TOP CHARGED ELEGTRIC FURNACES 2ShetS-Sheet 2 INVENTOR m'zziamfiMoore Ada/i M/M/ Patented June 14, 1949ADJUSTABLE ROOF MOUNTING MEANS FOR TOP CHARGED ELECTRIC- FURNACESWilliam Enoch Moore, Pittsburgh, Pa, assignor to Delaware EngineeringCorporation, a corporation of Delaware Application May 12, 1944, SerialNo. 535,332

11 Claims. (Cl. 110-99) My invention relates to electric furnaces,particularly to electric furnaces for producing and refining metal, andmore particularly to electric furnaces having a roof adapted to belifted from the body of the furnace and swung. aside, to give access tothe. furnace chamber from above for such purposes as charging thefurnace and making bottom.

Electric furnaces of this type are known in the art. The electrodes ofthe furnace extend through the openings provided therefor in the furnaceroof. The electrodes are vertically adjustable in their extent throughthe roof to the degree necessary to maintain proper position of thedischarge ends of the electrodes with respect to the charge within thefurnace. In furnaces of the type I have especially in mind, theelectrodes are borne by supporting masts that rise from a support whichin the parlance of the art is known as a spectacle, and the spectacle issupported either upon an independent foundation at the side of thefurnace or immediately upon the metal shell of the furnace body itself.The furnace roof is supported by means of beams that extend from thespectacle. In case the furnace be a tilting furnace, the spectacle isadapted to tilt with the furnace body, and the electrode and roofsupporting structure tilts in unison with the spectacle, as also do theelectric cables that are looped from the electrode arms carried by thesupporting masts, whence they extend to the usual stationary conductorsand bus-bars that supply electric current from the transformer equipmentof the furnace installation,

My invention consists in the provision of a roof support that providesfor the adjustment of the furnace roof with respect to the beams thatsupport it. More particularly, the invention consists of certain new anduseful improvements in a roof support, to the end that universaladjustment of the supported roof is afforded, whereby the roof may bepositioned with the electrode openings centered with respect to theelectrodes, and with the rim of roof arranged to meet the top edge ofthe crucible-like furnace body in a snug engagement that is effectivethroughout the entire periphery of the furnace body.

' The invention will be imderstood that upon reference to theaccompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a view in front elevation of an electric furnace of the sortin which the invention may be embodied. The roof of the furnace is shownto be borne by a support which serves in exemplary way to illustrate theinvention;

Figure 2 is a fragmentary view, illustrating the roof and its supportingstructure in plan from above;

Figure 3- is a fragmentary view showing, to larger scale, partly inelevation and partly in section, on the plane III-III of Figure 2., animportant element of the exemplary roof supporting structure of theinvention; andv Figure 4 is a fragmentary view of such structure, asseen in elevation on a vertical plane located, to the left of Figure 3Referring to Figure 1 of the drawings the reference numeral i0 isapplied toa furnace crucible or body having a removable roof ll. Thefurnace is illustrated as an arcv furnace haying electrodes 12 andelectrode columns or masts l3, upon which ride the usual horizontal arms(notv shown) for supporting the electrodes and conveying current theretowhile riding on the masts l3 carried by the spectacle casting. Thespectacle casting is inthis case supported on the metal shell of thefurnace body, and is arranged to be raised and lowered, and swung in ahorizontal plane, by means of a hydraulic plunger 4.5 that is powerfullyreciprocable and. rotatable a cylinder 43 rigidly secured to the: side.of the metal shell of the furnace body or crucible. The roof of thefurnace, comprising a dome Ha of refractory blocks arched from askew-back or roof-ring 1 lb, is borne by a. pair of horizontal beams. 9,9 which in turn are borne by the spectacle casting. The generalconstruction of the furnace is fully illustrated and described in UnitedStates Letters Patent No. 2,261,587, granted to me November 4, 1.941.,and herein I. shall only briefly review the description to the extentnecessary to indicate one of the. several types of furnaces in which theimprovements of my invention may be enjoyed.

On each side of the metal shell of the crucible a metal bracket I5 iswelded or otherwise secured. These two brackets project laterally beyondthe crucible, one on each side of the pouring spout l6 and terminate inbearings IT, A metal support. It is provided for each bracket, and eachsupport is bolted or otherwise firmly attached, to the concretefoundation illustrated, and is bifurcatedv at its. upper end to receivethe bearing ll of the associate bracket IS. A pivot pin 20 providesarticular union of each. bracket with its support IR.

A pit 2.! is arranged in the foundation beneath the furnace, and twohydraulic cylinders 22 (one cylinder lies behind, the other in the lineof sight in. Figure 1) are pivotally secured at their lower ends tospaced, brackets 23 secured at the base of the pit in line with thecentre of the furnace. As may be clearly understood upon reference tosaid Letters Patent No. 2,261,587, a pair of brackets 24 is secured tothe convex bottom of the furnace shell adjacent the centre line of thefurnace, preferably slightly behind the centre lifi', and the hydraulicpistons 25 of cylinders 22 have bifurcated ends that are pivotallysecured to these brackets. as to be arranged adjacent the outer wall ofthe furnace, so that there will be no tendency on the part of thefurnace to twist as it is moved about the pivots 20.

Two spaced depending feet or legs 26 (here again one leg lies out ofsight) are secured to the bottom of the furnace shell at points oppositethe tilting pivot 29, and these legs are adapted to support the furnacein either of two positions.

A concrete wall or pillar 21 terminates below the lower level of thefurnace or the floor level and in line with the legs or feet 26.Supporting castings 28 are secured to the wall 21 below the feet 26, andeach casting is provided on the side farthest from the furnace with apivot pin 29 to which a pedestal 39 is pivotally secured. The pedestals3D normally rest upon the castings 28 and extend vertically upwardly tocontact the feet 26 and support the furnace in a level or horizontalposition. A projection 3| is secured to the lower end of each pedestaland is curved downwardly to engage the Wall 21 when the pedestal ispivoted about pin 29 to support the pedestal in the broken line positionindicated, out of the path of corresponding foot 26.

When the pedestals are in their broken line or non-operating position,the furnace may be tilted back past the horizontal position intoslagging or back-tilt position indicated by broken lines 32. In thisposition the feet 26 rest upon the immovable pedestal supports 33 whichmay be an integral part of casting 28, and which are arranged forwardlyof pedestals all. When the pedestals 39 are in operative position, theirupper faces and the upper faces of supports 33 are disposed in thearcuate paths through which feet 26 move when the furnace is moved aboutits tilting pivot 20.

'It will be seen that when pistons 25 are forced outward in cylinders22, furnace II] will be moved about pivots 20 to the pouring positionindicated by broken lines 34. When pressure is released the furnace willreturn to the level position with the feet 26 resting on pedestals 30.When it is desired to move the furnace to its back-tilt or 'slaggingposition 32, the furnace is raised slightly so that pedestals 30 may beswung out of the way and the furnace may then be lowered into contactwith supports 33 by releasing the pressure in cylinders 22. By locatingthe brackets 24 adjacent the centre line of the furnace, an evenpivoting is obtained with no detrimental thrusts on pivot pins 20 andbearings I! and I9 and without the use of exceptionally long cylinders.While the furnace may be tilted by one cylinder centrally arranged, andsupported by one foot and pedestal also centrally arranged, the use ofpairs of these elements, spaced as shown in my said prior patent,produces a much smoother action without danger of twists and strains.

I Any suitable hydraulic system may be employed to operate the pistons25, and it is needless to involve this specification with such details.

I In the operation of the furnace, it is necessary to remove the furnaceroof to give access to the furnace chamber for charging, making bottom,or

The brackets 24 are so spaced other purpose. This operation of the roofmay be conveniently accomplished by means of the hydraulic ram 43, 45arranged to raise the roof and swing it way from the furnace body. Theram may be supported by the furnace foundation and arranged to engageand disengage the roof, or it may be, as herein it is, mounted on thefurnace shell It) to move therewith and thus dispense with the necessityof disengaging the ram from the roof in order to permit tilting of thefurnace. The ram cylinder 43, as has been said, is rigidly secured tothe furnace shell and is provided with a plunger 45. A cam slot 48 isformed in the wall of cylinder 43 adjacent the upper end thereof and aroller 49 is secured to the plunger and disposed in slot 48. Such astructural organization is fully disclosed in my said Letters Patent No.2,261,587. When the plunger is forced upwardly, the roller 49 movesupwardly in a vertical portion of the cam slot 48 and the roof movesupward with vertical motion only. Then the roller reaches an inclinedportion of the cam slot, at which time the roof will have cleared thetop edge or rim of the furnace body, and the further upward movement ofthe plunger serves to rotate the rising plunger and swing the upwardlymoving spectacle l4, beams 9, 9 and supported roof II from above thefurnace body. The means for delivering liquid or fluid under pressure toeffect such operation of the plunger are well known in the art, and neednot be considered herein. Suflice it to say, when the roof is to beraised and swung, fluid is fed to the ram, and, alternatively, when theroof is to be returned to its normal position on the furnace body, theoperating fluid is cut off and the cylinder opened to discharge,whereupon under the effect of the weight of the elevated structure theparts descend and swing into their original positions.

Turning now to a consideration of the roofsupporting structure of theinvention, it will be realized that it is desirable not only that thefurnace roof shall be firmly supported for the raising and swingingoperation, but that it also shall be adjustable in its supportedposition, to insure that the roof may be properly positioned relativelyto the electrodes that extend through it, and may be seated tighly orsnugly upon the top edge or rim of the furnace body, in an engagementthat is uniformly effective throughout the entire peripheral extent ofthe furnace. To this end the means for rigidly securing the roof to itspowerfully actuated support are particularly effective to afforduniversal roof adjustment.

Such means comprise a plurality of hanger assemblies A, in this casefour hanger assemblies, two associated with each of the two cantileverbeams 9, 9. It will be noted that each beam 9 is of longitudinallyslotted construction, the slot being advantageously obtained by formingeach beam of two steel channels 50, 50 that are arranged back to back,but spaced apart to provide between them the desired slot. The twochannels of each cantilever beam are rigidly united at their distalends, and also at spaced points in their extent, by metal spacerelements 5| welded in place, and at their proximal ends the two channelsare welded to heavy metal plates 52 that are securely bolted to thespectacle casting l4, as indicated at 53 in Figure 2. Each of the fourhanger assemblies A includes a load-sustaining tension member thatextends downwardly through the slot in the beam with which it isorganized and engages the metal roof-ring ill), the roof-ring includinga peripheral flange He. The roof-ring is preferably of the constructionamt-e54 disclosed in my copending application, Serial No. 508,486, filedNovember 1, I943, now matured into U. S. Patent No. 2,414,545, datedJanuary 21, 1947,

The load-sustaining member of each hanger assembly consists in athreaded stem or shank 54 that extends through sleeve washers 55 and 56arranged as shown in Figure 3. Above and below the washers 55 and 56,respectively, handleequipped nuts 51 and 58 are provided on the threadedshank 54, and by tightening these nuts against the sleeve washers, it ismanifest that the threaded shank may be rigidly clamped to the slotted.beam structure through which it extends. Projecting downward from thebeam, the shank is threaded in the upper arm of a o-clamp 59 thatembraces the peripheral flange lie of the roof-ring, and by rotating theshank (the nut 58 being loosened) the end of the shank may be screwedagainst the roof-ring flange llc to lock the C-clamp thereto. The shank54 is provided at its upper end with a handle 60 which is rigidlysecured to the shank as by welding, and by means of this handle, therotation of the shank may be readily efi'ected. ,Such is the structureof each of the several hanger assemblies that together suspend the roofstructure from the beams 9, 9, and rovide for the universal adjustmentof the suspended roof, as follows: 7 By loosening the lower nuts 58 ofthe several hanger assemblies A, the clamped engagement of the hangerassemblies to the beams is released, and the roof is sustained by thebearing of the nuts (through washers 55) upon the top edges of thebeams. Accordingly, the roof may be horizontally adjusted in thedirection of the slots in the beams, it being understood that the sleevewashers 5'5 and 56 extend between the channels that form the beams withsufficient clearance to permit the sliding of the hanger assemblieslengthwise of the beams. By unscrewing the shanks 54 and removing theirlower ends from engagement with the roof-ring, the roof may be rotatedin the plane of its expanse, the flange lie of the ring sliding withinthe C-clamps. Thus, any desired angular adjustment of the roof in ahorizontal plane may be efiected, and it will be manifest that, byeffecting the rotation of the suspended roof in conjunction with theadjustment of the hanger assemblies longitudinally of the supportingbeams, the roof may be shifted laterally to one side or the other of thebeams. In brief, the roof may, within adequate limits, be adjusted inevery direction in the plane of its extent. Additionally, by rotatingthe nuts 51 of the several hanger assemblies in one direction or theother, the threaded shanks may be raised or lowered, correspondinglyadjusting the vertical position of the roof, and by the selectiveadjustment of the nuts 51 the roof may be tilted to bring it intoexactly the proper plane for snug engagement with the top edge or rim ofthe furnace body. It will be understood, therefore, that the structuredescribed provides a universal adjustment of the roof. When the roof hasbeen properly adjusted, the threaded shanks are rotated to lock theG-clamps to the roof-ring, and the nuts 58 are tightened to lock thehanger assemblies to the supporting beams. The roof is firmly secured tosupporting beams.

Whereas the furnace herein illustrated is of the tilting type, it willbe understood that the roof-supporting structure of the invention may beused with a non-tilting or stationary furnace. Whereas the spectaclecasting l4 and the hydraulic cylinder and plunger unit are herein shownto be secured to the metal shell of the crucible I0, it will beunderstood that such casting and hydraulic unit may be mounted upon anindependent support at the side of the furnace. And whereas theroof-supporting beams 9, 9 are illustrated to be cantilever beamssupported by the spectacle casting I4, it will be understood that suchbeams may comprise the essential elements of the well-known gantry typeof roof support, or the like.

Within the terms of the appended claims various modifications andvariations may be employed without departing from the invention coveredherein.

I claim as my invention:

1. A support for a furnace roof comprising a. horizontal beam, and meansfor securing the roof to the beam comprising a load-sustaining memberadjustable vertically and longitudinally of the beam and provided with adevice adjustable along the periphery of the roof for engaging themember to the roof, and means for looking the adjusted load-sustainingmember to the beam.

2. A support for a furnace roof comprising a cantilever beam, and meansfor suspending the roof from the beam comprising a load-sustainingtension member adjustable vertically and horizontally of the beam andprovided with means adjustable along the periphery of the roof forengaging said tension member to the roof, and means for locking theadjusted load-sustaining member to said beam and roof.

3. A support for a furnace roof comprising a horizontal beam, and meansfor securing the roof to the beam comprising a plurality ofloadsustaining members severally adjustable vertically andlongitudinally of the beam and provided with devices severallyadjustable along the periphery of the roof for engaging the members tothe roof, and means for severally locking the adjusted load-sustainingmembers to the beam.

4. A support for a furnace roof comprising a pair of horizontal,parallel beams, and means for securing the roof to the beams comprisinga plurailty of load-sustaining members organized with each beam andbeing severally adjustable vertically and longitudinally of the beams,each of said load-sustaining members being equipped with a device forengaging the roof at a variable point on the periphery of the roof, andmeans arranged with each load-sustaining member for locking it inadjusted position to the beam with which it is organized.

5. A support for a furnace roof comprising a cantilever beam, and meansfor suspending the roof to the beam comprising a plurality ofloadsustaining tension members severally adjustable vertically andhorizontally of the beam and severally provided with devices adjustablealong the periphery of the roof for engaging said tension membersthereto, and means for severally locking the adjusted load-sustainingmembers to said beam and roof.

6. A support for a furnace roof comprising a plurality of parallelcantilever beams, and means for suspending the roof from the beamscomprising a plurality of load-sustaining members organized with eachbeam, each of said members being severally adjustable vertically andlongitudinally of the beam, with which it is organized and beingprovided with means for looking it to the beam in adjusted position, adevice carried by each member for engagement with the roof, said devicebeing adjustable along the periphery 7 of'the roof, and means forlocking the device to the roof in adjusted position on the peripherythereof.

7. A support for a furnace roof that includes in structure aperipherally extending flanged metal skew-back supporting a dome ofrefractory material, said support comprising a plurality of parallelhorizontal beams, a plurality of loadsustaining members suspended inspaced-apart relation from each of said beams and adjustable verticallyand longitudinally of the beams, means for severally locking the membersin adjusted positions on the beams, and a device on the lower end ofeach of said suspended members for engaging the flange of saidskew-back, each of said devices being adjustable peripherally of theengaged skew-back and arranged to be locked to the skew-back in adjustedposition.

8. A support for a furnace roof that includes in structure aperipherally extending flanged metal skew-back supporting a dome ofrefractory material, said support comprising a plurality of parallelhorizontal beams, a plurality of loadsustaining members suspended inspaced-apart relation from each of said beams and adjustable verticallyand longitudinally of the beams, said members severally comprisingthreaded shanks equipped with nut elements for clamping the members inadjusted positions on the beams, and a clamp on the lower end of eachthreaded shank engaging and being adjustable longitudinally of theflange of said skew-back.

9. In an electric furnace having a roof of refractory material supportedby a flanged skewback and a plurality of horizontal beams for supportingthe roof of the furnace, and means for raising and lowering said beamsand swinging them in a horizontal plane; means for adjustably securingthe furnace roof to said beams which comprise a plurality ofload-sustaining members suspended in spaced-apart relation from each ofsaid beams, said members severally comprising threaded shanks equippedwith nut elements for clamping the members in adjusted positions on thebeams, and a clamp on the lower end of each threaded shank engaging andbeing adjustable longitudinally of the flange of said skew-back to varythe supported position of said roof.

10. In an electric furnace having a plurality of horizontal beams forsupporting the flanged metal the slot in the beam with which it isorganized, a

pair of nut elements on said shank for clamping the associate beam andproviding for the adjustment of the shank vertically and longitudinallyof the beam, and a clamp on the lower end of said shank adjustableperipherally of and engageable to the flange of said roof-ring.

11. A support for a furnace roof having a flanged skew-back, saidsupport comprising a horizontal beam, and means for securing theskew-back of the roof to said beam comprising a load-sustaining threadedshank adjustable vertically and longitudinally of the beam and providedat its lower end with a device adjustable along the periphery of theskew-back, means at the upper end of said shank for rotating the shankto lock said device to the skew-back, and a pair of nut elements on saidshank for clamping said shank in vertically adjusted position to saidbeam.

WILLIAM ENOCH MOORE.

REFERENCES CITED The following referenlces are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 431,012 Smythe June 24, 18901,339,615 Wundrack May 11, 1920 1,420,561 Leander June 20, 19221,488,576 Waite Apr. 1, 1924 1,629,668 Lenk 1 May 24, 1927 1,730,667Lorino Oct. 8, 1929 1,846,178 Bergren Feb. 23, 1932 1,877,781 AkerlundSept. 20, 1932 1,976,595 Asleson Oct. 9, 1934 2,114,230 Moore Apr. 12,1938 2,182,675 Morton Dec. 5, 1939 2,200,372 ,Linder May 14, 19402,299,102 McLimans Oct. 20, 1942'

